With eight states and the capital Abuja
declared, President Jonathan’s People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) has a lead of about
20,000 votes.
Final results in the closely contested poll are
due Tuesday.
The US and UK in a joint statement
expressed concern over possible “political
interference” in the count.
“So far, we have seen no evidence of
systemic manipulation of the process,” said
the statement from UK Foreign Secretary
Philip Hammond and US Secretary of State
John Kerry.
“But there are disturbing indications that
the collation process, where the votes are
finally counted, may be subject to deliberate
political interference.”
Nigeria’s election commission (Inec)
dismissed these fears, with a spokesman
telling the AFP agency “there is absolutely no
basis” to talk of meddling.
Female opposition supporters in Rivers
State protested against alleged
irregularities in the vote
The security forces used tear gas during
the demonstration
Of the nine regions announced, the PDP has
taken four, with 2,322,734 votes, and Gen
Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC)
taking five, with 2,302,978 votes.
Police in the battleground Rivers State have
used teargas against female opposition
protesters who were attempting to lodge
complaints with election officials of alleged
rigging.
Voting spilled into Sunday in some parts of
Nigeria after problems were encountered
with new electronic card readers.
President Jonathan was among those
whose registration to vote was delayed by
the technology, which was introduced to
prevent fraud.
The PDP, which had opposed the card
readers, called it a “huge national
embarrassment”.
Election commission chief Attahiru Jega said
only a fraction of the 150,000 card readers
being used nationwide had failed.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a
statement voting had been “largely peaceful
and orderly”.
Voting continued for a second day in some
parts of Nigeria after problems with new
electronic card readers.
It is expected to be a closely fought battle
between President Goodluck Jonathan and
Muhammadu Buhari.
Thousands of opposition supporters in
Rivers State have protested against alleged
killings of campaigners and voting
irregularities.
Nigeria’s election commission said its office
there had been set on fire and it was
investigating the complaints.

The electoral commission postponed voting
because of problems with electronic card
readers – new technology intended to
reduce fraud.

There was also some violence with more
than 20 people reportedly killed in attacks
by unknown gunmen.

It is expected to be a closely fought election
between President Goodluck Jonathan and
Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Jonathan and at least three governors
from his ruling party were among those
whose biometric details could not be
checked by the new devices.
Instead, they had to be processed by hand.

Mr Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) called it a “huge national
embarrassment” and a “vindication” of their
position against the technology.
“There should have been a test-run for a
smaller election before deploying it for an
election of this magnitude,” said Mr
Jonathan’s presidential campaign
spokesman Femi Fani-Kayode.
The election as it happened.
Voters have to validate their voting cards
using a fingerprint reader
About 300 polling units were affected by
technical difficulties, a spokesman said

About 300 polling units out of about
150,000 were affected, a spokesman for the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(Inec) said.

The vote had been delayed by six weeks
because of the insurgency by militants from
the islamist group, Boko Haram.
Both the main candidates had pledged to
prevent violence during and in the
aftermath of the elections.
But several hours after voting started,
reports came in of attacks at polling
stations.

Attacks were reported in north-eastern
Gombe state, including incidents where
gunmen opened fire on voters at polling
stations.

Goodluck Jonathan, People’s Democratic
Party (PDP), Christian southerner, incumbent
president, second-term bid
Years of military rule ended in 1999 and
the PDP has been in power ever since
Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and
leading oil producer
With a population of more than 170m, it
is also Africa’s most populous nation

Unpredictable poll
Nigeria decides 2015: Full coverage

It is unclear whether the attacks were the
work of Boko Haram militants or political
thugs.

However, Mr Jonathan told the BBC’s Peter
Okwoche that most of the violence in
Gombe was not directly related to the
elections.

“The war against terrorists is going on,
voting or no voting,” he said. “There was a
conflict, kind of a crossfire, between soldiers
and terrorists that had nothing to do with
the elections.”

At polling stations where voting was closed,
officials began counting votes – with
blackouts forcing some to use torches or car
lights.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has
dominated Nigerian politics since 1999, but
Gen Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC)
is viewed as a serious challenge.
Voters are also electing members of the
house of representatives and the senate.

5. The DPP government commits to sustain
fertilizer subsidy for the poor in Malawi.

6. The DPP government will pursue Zero
Tolerance on Corruption, Bribery, Fraud and
Theft of government resources.

7. We will introduce Health Insurance for all
public servants.

8. We will prioritize Education and aim to
eliminate illiteracy by 2019.

9. No child should have to walk more than
five kilometers to attend school.

10. The DPP government will provide “Total
Security” to both persons and businesses in
Malawi.

11. We will pass and implement a number of
laws including: a Law on Handouts, and a
Law that will prevent sitting Members of
Parliament from benefiting from increasing
their own salaries and benefits.

12. The DPP government will reduce
concentration of power in the presidency.

13. Appointment and removal of the
Governor of the RBM, Director of the ACB, the
Audit General, the Director of Public
Prosecutions, Clerk of Parliament, Malawi
Human Rights Commission Executive
Secretary, the Malawi Law Commissioner, the
Director General of the MBC, MACRA Director
General, and the leaders of other
accountability institutions shall be appointed
on MERIT through a SPECIAL PUBLIC
APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE.

14. We will pass and implement the Access
to Information bill.

15. The DPP government will pass and
implement the recommendations from the
constitutional reviews, including facilitating
implementation of the revised Section 65
(Crossing the Floor automatically) and bring
back the revised Section 64 (recall provision
with proper safeguards to present abuse) of
our constitution.

16. The Green Belt Initiative we initiated in
the previous term will stretch from Karonga
all the way to Nsanje.

17. We shall revive the Nsanje World Inland
Port Project which will cut Transportation
costs by 60%.

18. Upgrade and maintain Kamuzu and
Chileka International airports, and develop
international airports in Mangochi, Nsanje,
Mzuzu and Karonga.

19. A special Child and Youth Rehabilitation
Fund will be developed to enable the
children and youth from impoverished
families have access to vocational training
so as to equip them to become self-reliant.

20. The Teaching profession will be
upgraded and make it an attractive service
in Malawi.

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The sending of ex-
President Bakili Muluzi to
represent Malawi in Zambia
has ignited a social media
debate with some
observers claiming
President Mutharika is
sidelining his Veep Saulos
Chilima. This could not be
further from the truth. Sata
has always been close to
Bakili Muluzi to the point
where this relationship so
incensed Bingu WA
Mutharika who deported
Michael Sata from Malawi. It
is also no secret that
Michael Sata funded the
political ambitions of Young
Atupele Muluzi.

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The outspoken Malawi
Congress Party (MCP)
publicity secretary Jessie
Kabwira has lashed at the
ruling Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP)
accusing it sidelining its
councilors. Kabwira was
speaking in a news
conference in Lilongwe on
Monday.
“It so sad that since the
elections, only DPP and
United Democratic Front
(UDF) councillors are the
one being invited to
developmental meetings at
district and city councils.
“The tendency of
politicizing developments
has been a stumbling block
to the country’s economic
growth and we believe it’s
high time we put politics
aside and move forward.
“This country is for all of us
regardless of where we
come from and our political
affiliations. The leadership
should not be on the
forefront bringing in
divisions,” she said.
The MCP spokesperson has
been a fierce critic of
Mutharika administration
making social
commentators to wonder if
indeed her messages
represent the general view
of the party. She is on
record to have told the
Mutharika administration
that it is not only uncaring
but also an ‘incompetent’
government which seems
not ready to govern.

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Malawi President Peter
Mutharika has delegated
former president Bakili
Muluzi to represent him at
Zambia’s 50th
Independence Anniversary
Celebrations in Lusaka next
week.
According to Nation on
Sunday, a letter from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and External Cooperation
addressed to BCA Hill
Residence chief of staff
says it has pleased the
President to delegate the
ex-leader to the event to be
held on Friday, October 24.
In an interview, Muluzi
expressed happiness for
the gesture, saying he had
accepted to travel to Lusaka
to represent the President.
The ex leader commended
Mutharika for
demonstrating a spirit of
reaching out to the other
sectors of society on
political, governance and
economic issues of our
country.
However, some Malawians
have questioned the motive
behind President
Mutharika’s gesture to
delegate the former leader
to such an important
function when the state
Vice President Saulos
Chilima is just sitting in
office waiting to be
delegated by the same
President.
“Is this gesture trying to
confirm what we are
hearing that there is bad
blood between Mutharika
and his Vice President
Chilima,” asked one
commentator on condition
of anonymity before
another one concurred
with him saying, “Where is
the State Vice President
Saulos Chilima? Is it part of
UDF-DPP Pact to sideline
Chilima? Muluzi has a
corruption case. He should
not be sent on government
business.”
On a different note, another
commentator said: “This is
a huge Diplomatic gaffe.
While it may seem correct
on the domestic political
scene I do not think it’s
something that Lusaka will
highly cherish. Bear in mind
that Sata and the
Mutharikas are miles apart
all because of Sata’s
deportation when he came
to visit Muluzi. So what
message is Lusaka getting
from this? The President
has lost an opportunity to
improve relations with this
good neighbor of ours. His
own attendance or that of
Chilima would have been
much better.”
Muluzi, who was recently
appointed Malawi’s Special
Commonwealth envoy to
Swaziland, met President
Mutharika at Sanjika Palace
in Blantyre where the
former head of state
briefed the incumbent on
the progress of mediation
talks on the democratic
process taking place in
Swaziland.